Why Innovation Isn't Just About New Ideas—It's About Solving Problems
When we think of innovation, the image that often comes to mind is a brainstorming session, where a room is buzzing with new ideas or a team developing cutting-edge technology that pushes boundaries. But through my years of working closely with leadership teams in higher education, I’ve realized that true innovation is not about the novelty of ideas—it’s about their effectiveness in solving real problems.
The Reality of Innovation in Higher Education
Higher education institutions face unique challenges: shrinking enrollments, shifting student expectations, tighter budgets, and the increasing need to prove their value. Innovation is a lofty ambition when trying to keep up with day-to-day operations. Yet, I’ve seen that when leaders shift their mindset from focusing on what's new to what’s needed, the path to impactful innovation becomes clearer. Clayton Christensen, a pioneer in the field of disruptive innovation, defines innovation as “changes in process by which inputs of lower value are transformed into outputs of higher value.” This reminds us that innovation doesn’t always require a groundbreaking idea—it can simply mean reconfiguring existing resources to address a persistent challenge.
One university I coached faced a significant enrollment decline that threatened its financial health. The leadership team initially sought new recruitment strategies, hoping to tap into new markets or revamp their marketing message. However, in our work together, we identified that the real issue wasn’t awareness—it was the lack of support for students once they arrived on campus. The new students they did attract were struggling to adapt and, in many cases, leaving before their second year.
Instead of creating more outreach campaigns for new students, the team saw that the opportunity was in retention. They launched a mentorship program that paired new students with faculty and upperclassmen, creating a support network from day one. The result wasn’t just a slight improvement; it transformed the student experience, leading to a sizeable increase in retention and, over time, a more sustainable approach to enrollment growth. Innovation wasn’t in the idea of mentorship itself but in recognizing and addressing the problem that truly mattered.
Why Problem-Solving Beats Idea-Generation
Many leadership teams I’ve worked with fall into the trap of prioritizing idea generation over problem-solving. They assemble for innovation workshops where creativity is prized, but the result is often a list of unattached, ambitious ideas. The issue is that these ideas don't always connect to the real challenges the institution is facing.
One of my clients, a dean at a large university, learned this lesson during a strategic planning session. The team had devised a dozen ways to integrate new technologies into the classroom. But when we dove deeper, we uncovered that the real issue wasn't a lack of technology; it was that faculty felt overwhelmed by the tools already at their disposal. They didn’t need more innovation—they needed solutions that made existing technologies more manageable.
By shifting focus, we developed a plan to provide tailored faculty development programs. These sessions helped professors integrate tools in ways that supported their teaching styles and curriculum goals. The result? Faculty engagement soared, and technology adoption rates improved by 30%. It was a powerful reminder that sometimes, innovation is about refining what you already have, not just adding more. To paraphrase Steve Jobs a bit here, innovation isn’t about saying yes to everything new, but about saying no to clear the path for impact.
A Leadership Mindset: Focus on the Real Pain Points
To foster innovation that solves problems, leaders must develop a keen understanding of their organization's pain points. One technique I use in my executive coaching practice is guiding leaders through root cause analysis—digging deep to understand where the opportunity is.
For instance, a client of mine—a vice president at a college—was facing staff burnout due to overwhelming workloads. At first, we discussed automating more processes and launching wellness initiatives. But when we mapped out the issue, it became clear that the problem was structural: overlapping responsibilities and a lack of clarity in role definitions were the culprits.
We worked together to implement cross-functional teams that realigned staff roles based on strengths and interests. Rather than just introducing new wellness programs, the institution reduced redundant processes and restructured job descriptions. This allowed staff to focus on their core competencies, dramatically improving morale and productivity. Here, innovation wasn’t about flashy new programs but the courage to address the underlying issues.
The Takeaway: Innovation is a Means, Not an End
In all these stories, innovation succeeded because it wasn’t pursued for its own sake. It was grounded in a desire to make a real impact on pressing challenges. For leaders in higher education, this shift in perspective is critical. Instead of asking, “What new thing can we create?” the more powerful question is, “What opportunity needs our attention?”
Embracing this approach doesn’t mean abandoning creativity—it means channeling it into solutions that make a difference. In today’s complex higher education landscape, that’s what true innovation looks like.
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